Nick Clegg challenges Ukip leader Nigel Farage to public debate

NICK Clegg yesterday challenged UK Independence Party leader Nigel Farage to a debate about Britain’s membership of the European Union.

Nick Clegg (right) challenged Nigel Farage (left) to a debate while talking on his LBC radio show [REX/GETTY]

The Deputy Prime Minister made the dramatic offer on his weekly LBC radio phone-in show.

Mr Farage is expected to respond today on his own LBC show, though Ukip insiders said he would prefer a debate involving all three main party leaders. Lib Dem officials said Mr Clegg wanted either a live radio or TV debate in the run-up to the European elections in May. It was up to broadcasters to come forward with proposals for staging the clash.

Mr Farage has repeatedly demanded to be included in the televised party leaders’ debates planned for next year’s general election campaign but other parties have been unenthusiastic about the idea, pointing to the lack of any Ukip MPs at Westminster.

A spokesman for Mr Clegg dismissed the Ukip call for a wider EU debate. “This is a simple idea – a debate between Nick Clegg and Nigel Farage. While we completely disagree, both parties have a very clear position: Nick Clegg leads the party of ‘in’ and Nigel Farage leads the party of ‘out’. There’s really not very much point debating with the other two – neither of them has a clear position.”

Mr Clegg is demanding a veto over David Cameron’s choice of a new Brussels commissioner to replace Baroness Ashton, it emerged ­yesterday. Senior Lib Dems are concerned that Mr Cameron is under pressure from Tory backbenchers to appoint a hard-line Eurosceptic.